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The Snow Queen
  
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By Chris Michlewicz
Sheets of blinding snow wash over the windshield as the maniacal sounds of ‘AC/DC’ blare from the radio.
The road is otherwise empty, save the poor few souls who have no choice but to brave the conditions to make it into work.
Judy Ely sits high above the bleak, windblown landscape, navigating a 54,000-pound machine like it’s an extension of her body.
“When it’s dark and blowing and you can’t see the road, it gets scary sometimes,” she says, “but I love it.”
There is nothing like driving a snowplow. The cold. The wind. The 8-foot drifts. The solitude.
The cab of her Western Star single-axle plow doubles as an office where Ely, 42, works 12-hour shifts. She strategizes the best way to clear snow, making the most efficient use of her time and fuel. Occasionally, she is required to lead the way for emergency vehicles, which must be able to respond to any location in any type of weather.
Most motorists avoid unnecessary winter driving like the plague and would never even consider working as a snowplow driver. To Ely, it’s not just a job. It’s a chance to get away and enjoy the scenery.
“It’s awesome because your office has this beautiful view,” she said.
If you didn’t know better, you might hear about Ely’s 13 years behind the wheel of a massive, get-out-of-my-way truck, and picture a “big, burly woman.” She’s not. Her 5-foot 4-inch frame slips easily into the raised cab, and a specialized seat enables her to better reach the foot pedals.
It takes dedication to remove thousands of tons of snow from Douglas County’s 2,400 lane-miles of roadway. Starting with major arterial roads and finishing with residential streets, the plows must be out in full force all the way from Deckers and Highlands Ranch to Singing Hills Road and areas near Monument Hill. It’s a daunting territory — one which includes the Palmer Divide — and the right equipment is necessary to cut through the thickest of ice or cut down the highest of drifts.
Fifty-four snowplows, 14 road graders, 10 front-end loaders and two high-powered snow blowers are aided by various snow removal materials. Douglas County’s snow fleet alone goes through 10,000 tons of salt-sand, 400,000 gallons of liquid de-icer and 10,000 tons of ice-slicer in one season, said Randy Teague, road and bridge manager for Douglas County Public Works.
The snow removal team has another ace up its sleeve: locally based weather tracker SkyView Weather provides pinpoint-accurate forecasts that allow coordinators to get a jump on any approaching winter blast. Douglas County averages 35 snowstorms per year, Teague said.
That means there must always be a qualified group of technicians to keep up with the endless maintenance and respond to break-downs of county machinery.
“Especially if it’s a long storm, stuff is just going to break. That’s all there is to it,” said Tim Chastain, a plow mechanic for the last 25 years.
The public works division is stacked with grizzled veterans, most of whom have been with Douglas County for more than 20 years. One supervisor is a 40-year employee who started out as a driver and worked his way up. It is a loyal team of workers, and the sense of camaraderie is palpable. Ely is no exception. Even though she is the only female out of 80 equipment operators, she doesn’t seem to mind.
“She just fits in with the guys,” Teague said. “They treat her just like a sister or daughter.”
While most drivers stay put when hazardous road conditions exist, others think theirs is the one Geo Metro that can climb the steep and icy hill without a problem. For those types of motorists, the snowplow drivers have one message: “Stay home or get out of the way.”
Equipment operators are allowed to pick up stranded motorists and periodically pull a vehicle from a ditch if it’s impeding traffic, but the drivers would rather concentrate on making the roads safe for others.
“It’s awesome because your office has this beautiful view.” - Judy Ely, the only female snowplow driver for Douglas County
The road is otherwise empty, save the poor few souls who have no choice but to brave the conditions to make it into work.
Judy Ely sits high above the bleak, windblown landscape, navigating a 54,000-pound machine like it’s an extension of her body.
“When it’s dark and blowing and you can’t see the road, it gets scary sometimes,” she says, “but I love it.”
There is nothing like driving a snowplow. The cold. The wind. The 8-foot drifts. The solitude.
The cab of her Western Star single-axle plow doubles as an office where Ely, 42, works 12-hour shifts. She strategizes the best way to clear snow, making the most efficient use of her time and fuel. Occasionally, she is required to lead the way for emergency vehicles, which must be able to respond to any location in any type of weather.
Most motorists avoid unnecessary winter driving like the plague and would never even consider working as a snowplow driver. To Ely, it’s not just a job. It’s a chance to get away and enjoy the scenery.
“It’s awesome because your office has this beautiful view,” she said.
If you didn’t know better, you might hear about Ely’s 13 years behind the wheel of a massive, get-out-of-my-way truck, and picture a “big, burly woman.” She’s not. Her 5-foot 4-inch frame slips easily into the raised cab, and a specialized seat enables her to better reach the foot pedals.
It takes dedication to remove thousands of tons of snow from Douglas County’s 2,400 lane-miles of roadway. Starting with major arterial roads and finishing with residential streets, the plows must be out in full force all the way from Deckers and Highlands Ranch to Singing Hills Road and areas near Monument Hill. It’s a daunting territory — one which includes the Palmer Divide — and the right equipment is necessary to cut through the thickest of ice or cut down the highest of drifts.
Fifty-four snowplows, 14 road graders, 10 front-end loaders and two high-powered snow blowers are aided by various snow removal materials. Douglas County’s snow fleet alone goes through 10,000 tons of salt-sand, 400,000 gallons of liquid de-icer and 10,000 tons of ice-slicer in one season, said Randy Teague, road and bridge manager for Douglas County Public Works.
The snow removal team has another ace up its sleeve: locally based weather tracker SkyView Weather provides pinpoint-accurate forecasts that allow coordinators to get a jump on any approaching winter blast. Douglas County averages 35 snowstorms per year, Teague said.
That means there must always be a qualified group of technicians to keep up with the endless maintenance and respond to break-downs of county machinery.
“Especially if it’s a long storm, stuff is just going to break. That’s all there is to it,” said Tim Chastain, a plow mechanic for the last 25 years.
The public works division is stacked with grizzled veterans, most of whom have been with Douglas County for more than 20 years. One supervisor is a 40-year employee who started out as a driver and worked his way up. It is a loyal team of workers, and the sense of camaraderie is palpable. Ely is no exception. Even though she is the only female out of 80 equipment operators, she doesn’t seem to mind.
“She just fits in with the guys,” Teague said. “They treat her just like a sister or daughter.”
While most drivers stay put when hazardous road conditions exist, others think theirs is the one Geo Metro that can climb the steep and icy hill without a problem. For those types of motorists, the snowplow drivers have one message: “Stay home or get out of the way.”
Equipment operators are allowed to pick up stranded motorists and periodically pull a vehicle from a ditch if it’s impeding traffic, but the drivers would rather concentrate on making the roads safe for others.
“It’s awesome because your office has this beautiful view.” - Judy Ely, the only female snowplow driver for Douglas County
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